Have you ever looked through a magnifying lens? Why do things look bigger when you look at them through the magnifying lens? Even though the object appears to get larger, it really stays the same size. Each lens has its own unique power of magnification, which can be measured with a ruler. How powerful is your lens?
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A kaleidoscope is a fun toy that creates amazing images when you look into it. Wouldn't it be fun to create those images yourself? Check out this project to learn how to build your own kaleidoscope and to learn how the inside of a kaleidoscope works. Then you can create and adjust your own amazing, colorful images!
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Phys_p095

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Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

This project requires a kaleidoscope-making kit. See the Materials list for details.

Have you ever seen a magician float an object in the air? If so, you might think that levitation (making things float) is just a magic trick, but the truth is you can use an invisible physical force to levitate a magnet! Try this science project to find out how.
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Phys_p067

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

The magnets needed for this experiment can be bought online from science supply stores.

Cost

Very Low (under $20)

Safety

When placed next to one another in certain configurations, magnets are attracted and can move toward one another, so be careful not to get your fingers pinched between the magnets.

Have you ever tried to pull out a nail out of wood with your bare hands? Or have you tried to shove a staple through a stack of papers without a stapler? A hammer's claw, a stapler, a pair of pliers and a shovel are each examples of everyday tools that use levers to make our work easier.
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What keeps you in your seat of a giant loop-de-loop roller coaster? Surprisingly, it is not the seatbelt but the seat! It works because of something called centripetal force and it does much more than make a great roller coaster. It keeps a satellite in orbit and you in your bicycle seat during a turn. How does it work?
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Phys_p018

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Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Very Low (under $20)

Safety

Adult supervision is required for making the JELL-O. Be careful when working with the boiling water.

As you headed up the mountain to enjoy your last ski trip, you may have noticed a sign reading: Hazard! Icy Roads Ahead—Put On Your Chains. Putting chains on car tires increases the resistance between the tires and the road allowing the car to "grip" the road. This resistance to sliding is called friction. In this experiment, you will be investigating how to increase and decrease the friction between two surfaces.
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"Swing me higher, Mommy, higher!" Kids love to ride the swings at the playground. The back-and-forth motion of a swing demonstrates the physics of a pendulum. In this experiment, you will investigate the factors that affect the speed and duration of a pendulum's swing.
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While trains that fly through the air might still be science fiction, trains that float just above the tracks without actually touching them are real and are actually used in a few countries today. This technology is called magnetic levitation. In this physics science project, you will build your own levitating train model and test how much weight it can hold before it stops hovering above the tracks.
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Phys_p093

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

This science project requires the Magic Bullet Train kit, available for purchase from the . See the Materials and Equipment list for details.

Cost

Low ($20 - $50)

Safety

When working with magnets, keep them away from your mouth, and away from small children and pets.

Did you know that the most likely time to be struck and killed by a car in the United States is at dusk, dawn, or at night? In 2014, 3 out of every 4 pedestrian fatalities happened in these types of poor light conditions. Is there something you could do to decrease the chances you, your friends, and your family members are safer when walking or biking at night? Do you think the types of clothes that you wear could make a difference in how visible you are to drivers? Explore the science of…
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Practice makes you better at most things, and knowledge makes practice so much easier! Can you swirl a circular toy called a hula hoop around your waist or arm? Is it hard? What knowledge can you apply to find ways that make hula-hooping easier? Physics! Yes, physics will help you determine what makes one hula hoop a winner and another a flop.
In this science project, you will create your own hula hoops, spin them, and draw conclusions. The road will then be open to your becoming a hula hoop…
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Phys_p088

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Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

You should know how to (or be willing to learn to) hula hoop around your waist or arm. Note: Hula-hooping is fairly easy if you have the right hula hoop for your body. This science project provides guidelines to make such a hula hoop.

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